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Which tests are performed?

What tests are performed?

Appearance: What the sample looks like.

Volume: How much sample there is. After 2 days abstinence there should be more than 2ml of semen.

Liquefaction: When semen is produced (ejaculated) it coagulates on contact with the air, then, over a short period of time, it liquefies. Liquefaction should be complete at the time of testing (1 hour after ejaculation).

Viscosity: This is a measure of how fluid the sample is (for example, water has a low viscosity, treacle has a high viscosity). Semen should have a fairly watery consistency at the time of testing (1 hour after ejaculation).

pH: The pH of a substance is a measure of how acid or alkaline it is (pH 7.0 is neutral). The pH of semen increases with time but should not be less than 7.2 at 1 hour.

Motility: This measures what percentage of sperm are moving and how well they are moving.

Sperm count: This is a measure of the total number of sperm (spermatozoa) present. It is usually recorded in millions of sperm per ml of semen. A normal count is regarded as being greater than 15 million per ml.

Note: Interpretation of the results is in accordance with 2010 WHO standards.